Maha Cong chief demands task force, strict action against fraud 'godman' Ashok Kharat

Buldhana, March 24 (IANS) The Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee chief, Harshwardhan Sapkal, on Tuesday said that the kind of disturbing discourse triggered by the fraud self-styled godman Ashok Kharat case is not good for Maharashtra. He demanded additional support for the Special Investigation Team (SIT), the formation of a task force, and strict action against the accused to bring the case to a conclusion.

“Around Diwali, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had received information about the fraud godman Ashok Kharat case. Kharat’s misconduct had already come to light in October-November, and the Home Department was gathering evidence. So was the Chief Minister asleep for six months?” he asked.

Sapkal told reporters that the Ashok Kharat case has emerged out of superstition, and society must learn a lesson from it by adopting a scientific temper.

"Everyone knows who is fuelling superstition, creating conflicts between religions and castes, and spreading hatred. Such distortions give rise to people like Kharat, and this must be acknowledged.

“Since 2014, Devendra Fadnavis has been the Home Minister, and it is during his tenure that such a menace has spread in Maharashtra. Even now, the Chief Minister is deliberately dragging the case, allegedly to put pressure on alliance partners, which is condemnable.

"While Rupali Chakankar has resigned as the chairperson of State Women’s Commission in this matter, action must also be taken against all others involved by filing cases against them. Those associated with Kharat should at least feel moral responsibility,” he said.

He further stated that such perversions arise when social awareness is ignored, and in the Kharat case, some people have also fallen victim to superstition. Maharashtra was the first state in the country to enact a law against superstition.

“Dr Narendra Dabholkar fought his entire life against superstition, and his work must be carried forward by taking a pledge to eradicate such practices so that distortions like Kharat do not emerge again,” he remarked.

Referring to the Satara Zilla Parishad president election, Sapkal said that there is infighting within the ruling alliance itself, and ministers Shambhuraj Desai and Makarand Patil have claimed that they were assaulted by the police.

The fact that ministers themselves are being beaten in Maharashtra is a major sign that democracy has hit rock bottom. What happened in Satara also reaffirms allegations of vote theft, he added.

--IANS

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